[todzilla]

Well, I've had my 968 for a month or so and pretty much love her.......even with the tip - which I was nervous about at first. But here's my issue/dilemma......



I usually use the 'tip' (paddle) side to run thru the gears as it allows a '1'1 start and lets me enjoy it a bit more in open traffic. Occasionally, I will put in in plain old 'D' (left side) and let the car row itself. What I notice is the car upshifts very quickly when just cruising around (around 2500 rpm, but I can check) and goes in to 'D' (from, the usual 2-3 start point) what seems to be way too quickly. It seems as though the car wants to get into 'D' asap to help with mileage but when it's there (at least when the car is relatively cold) it will hesitate and stumble, as though it really isn't in the 'right' gear and should be in '3' still. You'd think the cars computer would know the best point to shift itself, but it seems that lugging around in 'D' too soon, and making the car lurch is doing more harm than good.....except for preserving a few mpg's. The issue does get a little better when it's fully warm and run in 'auto' mode.



Is it true that pulling the #17 fuse and #10 relay (or other way around) - resets the shift pattern to make the car shift higher up the rpm range and let the car approach redline when done in tip mode? I also notice that when in tip mode, the car will rev all the way to redline (or very close) but then when in '2' it will only run that gear to about 5000 rpm and automatically upshift to '3' (still in tip mode)sapping a lot of forward momentum! It's rather annoying. It's almost as though if you really want to stretch its' legs, you are better off manually (but not tip) running the gears in the 'auto' side, from '1' on up (1-2-3-D)



Hope this isn't too much to answer but any advice or help is greatly appreciated!



Todd

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[flash]

to answer the last question first, no



the tip has 5 patterns, and it "learns" as you go - i haven't actually spent that much time seeing which one does what, but it's default is typical of what you describe - this is the conservative "booby proof" mode - the problem is that while you can "teach" it to shift higher, as soon as you go back to normal driving, it drops back down to the default



yes, it is better when it warms up - again, protective programming



i have not run into the 3rd gear 5000rpm problem yet, and am pretty sure i don't have that problem, but i will look into that



from what i've heard, a good chip will help - i haven't poked one into the white car yet though



make sure you are running at LEAST 90 octane fuel (RON+MON / 2) - otherwise the knock sensors may kick in and limit your rev level - it likes 93

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[968rz]

Let’s see.

The fast shifting is as Flash said just 1 of the shift patterns; it takes awhile but you will get used to that (or use manual all the time like I do). If you beat it in auto it will switch to the better patterns but it may take a few miles. (That’s the whole fun anyway right?)

The car should not run bad ever, mine had a slight surge at times but that was fixed when I installed the RSBarn chip (stage1), it was not related to the trans at all. Maybe try Tecron injector cleaner and a chip <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

Just for reference my car automatically shifts VERY close to red line in auto and Tip mode for all gears but this still seems early to me (gear heads <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/rolleyes.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> ). Maybe it’s an easy as a throttle cable adjustment?

No need to remove any fuse/relay, the Tip computer resets to default every time the car is turned off.

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[968Syncro]

Todd,



My car (TIP) did the same stumble / hesitate when at low RPMs. It also made me wonder why the TIP computer is causing it to shift early to that the "next" gear was engaged at a very low RPM. A new cap and rotor fixed that problem, so you might want to replace those (low cost) and maybe even plugs / wires while you are at it.



The argument I always read from Porsche (in the various 968 books / magazine reviews) is that the 968 engine has such a broad torque curve. It might be this characteristic that caused them to program the TIP computer to shift so early.



If you start out in the "3" position, on the left side, your car will start in 1st gear vs. starting in 2nd gear when on "D". So if you want lively driving just start in "3" from a stop, then shift to "D" after you are at redline in 3rd gear (is that about 120 MPH?). Sometimes if I want lively times I'll just leave it on the "3" position around town, since I don't need 4th gear.



Roland

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[todzilla]

Wow - thanx for all the input and advice guys! Much appreciated.



The car has an Autothority chip, I always run Chevron 92 (though I 'could' go 94?) - and it has just had an extensive tune (cap, rotor, fuel and air filter, plugs - but not wires, and I've not used a injection cleaner) For the most, what you are all saying makes sense, and I was aware of the multiple programs and auto side '2' gear start - mostly, it was the quick shift to 'D' in auto that caused me a bit of worry, but it seems it's simply the 'safe/wimpy' tip mode that dictates the shift pattern due to my easy driving style! Honestly, because the car is (relatively) a dog from a dead stop, I certianly don't abuse it or rip around like a kid in a 5.0, but when rolling, the car does have pretty decent cajones!



Think my best bet is to run te gears on the tip side til it's warm - all the time....and pretty much always thereafter just for the added enjoyment!



Btw - is running thru the gears (in tip mode) hard on the car at all?



Cheers!

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[flash]

the autothority chips are extremely conservative, and tends to run a bit lean too - that may be contributing to the problem - i have a couple of those chips here - the next time i have the white car over here, perhaps i'll play around with that

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[968Syncro]

[quote name='todzilla' post='62994' date='Nov 12 2008, 01:34 AM']Btw - is running thru the gears (in tip mode) hard on the car at all?[/quote]

Todd, I don't think that running pushing it in Tip mode is hard on the car, because:

1. I've heard from a couple of repair facilities that the tiptronic is a robust transmission, other than the case (and computer program) it is the same technology as in the 911.

2. the computer still rev limits in tip mode, and will upshift if you don't.



I think the opposite may be a concern as well. I someone drives slowly or regular in "D" for months on end, they'll never rev the engine above 3K or so and give it a chance to work out like it was designed.



Roland

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[flash]

so, i just read in the owner's manual that it indeed seems to upshift automatically in tip mode - however, i think i remember that this only happens in drive - i don't remember it upshifting automatically in any other gear, though i haven't really pushed it to find out



lol - for that matter though, i can't remember if it stays in a gear above first when you come to a stop



i guess i need to take her for a spin

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[unknown4u]

When pushing it hard. The tip shifts at the red line. Just instead of the earlier notice. I also use 98 octane.

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[todzilla]

You guys have 98 octane?! Yikes!



If I don't do it myself, the car does upshift in tip mode (if it hits redline in '1') and if it does this (if I missed tapping it into '2' myself) it will then shortshift into '3' itself way too quickly, even if you're fully into it, which was one of my concerns initally, but I think it may be to do with 'teaching' the car my drivng style and it then programming the computer to set the shifts more aggressively. Since I don't drive it that way very often, guess I can live with that......so long as I can get a good long pull from '1' to get 'er going on the occasional rip!

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[flash]

over there they measure it differently - it calculates to 93 our way

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[todzilla]

;^) ahhhh = makes sense - thanx!

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[unknown4u]

The norm is RON 98. You can easily compare it with yours.

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[flash]

well, that's not the "norm" here - that is the old way of doing it - we abandoned that a couple of decades ago - many countries still use it though



Research Octane Number is used outside the US

Motor Octane Number is typically used in the aviation industry

Anti Knock Index (AKI), Road Octane Number (RdON), or Pump Octane Number is (RON + MON / 2)



we calculate RON+MON / 2 - this takes into account the additives, and gives a more accurate measurement of the energy content

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[gryphon]

Surely someone, somewhere has attempted to crack the Tiptronics codes on some Porsche model? Is this just impossible, even for a smart programmer?



Tom

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[968Syncro]

[quote name='gryphon' post='63055' date='Nov 13 2008, 02:05 PM']Surely someone, somewhere has attempted to crack the Tiptronics codes on some Porsche model? Is this just impossible, even for a smart programmer?



Tom[/quote]

I would love to have a switch on the console to manually select one of the 5 shift maps.



Roland

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[todzilla]

That would be so sweet! Or I could just drive it like a granny all the time...except that one time the cocky Viper driver pulls alongside....and then engage the N02 .....or is it N0S? Whatever - nitrous! Actually has anyone ever been known to run a bottle on a 968...or is that semi-sacreligious?

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[flash]

i don't know of anybody who has done it yet on a 968 - it has been done on a 944



not sacrilegious, but seems to fly in the face of what the car was designed for



the fill up problem is what keeps me from doing that - the danged things run out too fast, and then you're REALLY bummed



quick way to instant VROOM though

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